Category Archives:Accident Attorney

How to Choose an Attorney

What should you expect when you meet with a personal injury attorney for a free consultation? How do you choose the best lawyer for your car accident?

You may be overwhelmed when you meet with your attorney for the first time. You should plan ahead of the meeting to get the most out of your time with the lawyer. Do your research beforehand so that you can choose the best attorney for your needs.

Things that you should bring with you are a detailed account of the accident and any pictures that you took. If you have names and contact information witnesses, your automobile and health insurance information, the other driver’s information including insurance and any medical records relevant to the accident (doctor notes, x-rays or MRI’s). Also any citations or tickets would help.

Has the attorney ever been censured or disciplined by any legal or ethics committees in the past? If so why?

The time and place that the accident occurred. What where the weather conditions? Again if you have the names of witness and what they said, your injuries, treatment and time frame till recovery is complete according to your doctor. How have your injuries affected you (work, at home, Social life)? Give this information to your attorney.

You want to select the lawyer who understands all the nuisances of your particular situation, is experienced in the world of litigation and has a track record of winning recoveries for clients.

Double check the personal injury attorney’s credentials and confirm that they are validly licensed to practice law in your jurisdiction. You should also be aware that a court can dismiss an attorney if they have a conflict of interest that would impair their ability to represent you.

Make sure communication with your attorney does not end after the first interview. That the attorney is not contact with you about the progress in case.

Why hire a lawyer for your car accident?

There are many benefits to hiring a Florida personal injury lawyer if you have been hurt in an auto accident. An injury lawyer takes on the responsibility of dealing with the insurance companies and finding insurance coverage for the injured party. Also, you will not have to continue to receive constant phone calls or misleading questions from the insurance company.

How Can Tampa Attorney Martin Hernandez of Fernandez & Hernandez Help Me?

Dedicated to protecting the people, not the powerful who put profits over people, Fernandez & Hernandez established itself as a leading personal injury law firm that seeks the best recovery for the client. Our attorneys in Tampa have played a vital role in the firm’s success, recovering millions on behalf of their clients.

Our lawyers work on a contingency-fee basis, meaning they only get a fee if they successfully win your case, with the fee usually being a percentage of the settlement. Until then, you don’t have to deal with costly hourly fees, and you still get the vast resources we offer. Also, since we don’t get paid until you get paid, we want to move your case along and obtain the highest recovery on your case.

Tampa Attorney Martin J. Hernandez

Attorney Martin J. Hernandez of Fernandez & Hernandez, LLC in Tampa provides legal representation for families in auto accident injury and wrongful death cases. Our Tampa personal injury attorneys welcome the opportunity to interview with you and your loved ones. We invite you to review our recent results from settlements to trial verdicts. Our qualifications and background are available to you as well. Our Tampa Attorneys Martin Hernandez and Daniel Fernandez are bilingual as well. Just call us at 813-229-5353 for your free consultation.

If you have been involved in an Auto Accident in the Tampa Bay area, call Tampa personal injury lawyer Martin J. Hernandez of Fernandez & Hernandez for a free consultation now. We recommend also reading his reviews on Google Reviews, Avvo and Yelp.

Why You Do you Need a Lawyer After a Tampa Car Accident?

Simple really. Attorneys know the rules and laws in order to protect our clients from being victimized or overrun by others who know the rules. Hiring a lawyer is not only proactive, it is also protective. Simply put, don’t do it yourself. Hire a lawyer.

Timing is very everything. After an auto accident, when is the best time to Get Lawyered Up?

Now is the best time to get a Tampa Accident Attorney. We always recommend as soon after the accident as you can to get a lawyer. The insurance companies are already hard at work protecting themselves and their insureds. Shouldn’t you?

Auto accidents are a big pain. Both literally and figuratively. Everything about it. From being injured or to you losing the use of your car. Getting around Tampa Bay without a car is truly a pain.

One of the furthest things from your mind might be shopping for a lawyer, but an attorney can help you recover money for your damaged or destroyed property, your medical expenses, and maybe even your attorney’s legal fees. The sooner you speak with a qualified lawyer, the more likely you are to protect your rights and get the help you need.

You have a life and you need to live it. You most likely have a job, bills to pay, or a family to take feed. Everyone has responsibilities, so when you are injured by someone else’s driving, you shouldn’t have to take on the responsibility of handling that case on your own. It costs you nothing to have a trained and qualified accident attorney handle every aspect of your car accident case. All you should be worried about is treating your injuries and handling your responsibilities. Let a car accident lawyer handle everything else.

However, an accident attorney— especially a personal injury attorney—can help you go up against big auto insurance companies and their team of lawyers and adjusters. Your attorney already knows the personal injury laws and procedural rules and can effectively handle all the legwork for you. He or she will act as your advocate throughout the entire case.

Because an insurance company’s lawyers and adjusters have the knowledge to reduce compensation and even deny the claim altogether, hiring an accident attorney for you is the best option for people who:

Suffered injuries.

Incurred medical bills.

Experienced loss of wages due to their injuries.

It is important to note that not all personal injury law firms are the same. In fact, many of the biggest advertising firms are little more than a mill. A settlement mill is a firm that relies on heavy advertising as the lifeblood of their business and barely litigate their cases. Such firms do not rely on current or former clients to refer cases via word-of-mouth and can thus afford to run all auto accidents through the “settlement mill.” We don’t.

Our firm only wants you to be our client one time. However, we want everybody you know to come to our firm if they need a lawyer.

Tampa Attorney Martin J. Hernandez

Attorney Martin J. Hernandez of Fernandez & Hernandez, LLC in Tampa provides legal representation for families in auto accident injury and wrongful death cases. Our Tampa personal injury attorneys welcome the opportunity to interview with you and your loved ones. We invite you to review our recent results from settlements to trial verdicts. Our qualifications and background are available to you as well. Our Tampa Attorneys Martin Hernandez and Daniel Fernandez are bilingual as well. Just call us at 813-229-5353 for your free consultation.

If you have been involved in an Auto Accident in the Tampa Bay area, call Tampa personal injury lawyer Martin J. Hernandez of Fernandez & Hernandez for a free consultation now. We recommend also reading his reviews on Google Reviews, Avvo and Yelp.

Do I have a claim for an auto accident?

Should I hire an experienced Personal Injury Lawyer in Tampa for my car accident?

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Tampa car accident, the attorneys at Fernandez and Hernandez may be able to help you gain compensation for your injuries and losses.

Our Tampa accident lawyers were born and raised in Tampa and, in order to best represent the people of Tampa in times of need, we only take on cases with legitimate claims for injuries. Not only do our attorneys have vast experience in their fields, they have also recovered millions in verdicts and settlements against negligent automobile drivers and other parties.

You could be compensated for your losses if your injury was caused by negligence on the part of an individual or company. These losses may include current and future medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Read more as to why you should our experienced attorneys and read more why it is important to hire an experienced attorney according to FindLaw

Do I Have a Case?

In addition to showing that you have been injured, your attorney must also establish, through credible and relevant evidence, that the other party is legally responsible for your injuries. By legally responsible, we need to prove that the other party was negligent (at-fault), that you are injured and that your injuries were caused by the other party’s negligence. As a result, a lot of work goes into investigating the circumstances of your injury.

Most cases are filed under the theory of negligence, which is defined as the failure to exercise reasonable care to protect others from harm. Commonly, this as defined as “Negligence is culpable carelessness. Negligence essentially consists in the mental attitude of undue indifference with respect to one’s conduct and its consequences”. Florida Statute 768.81(c) defines negligence as:

(c) “Negligence action” means, without limitation, a civil action for damages based upon a theory of negligence, strict liability, products liability, professional malpractice whether couched in terms of contract or tort, or breach of warranty and like theories. The substance of an action, not conclusory terms used by a party, determines whether an action is a negligence action.

These cases hinge on your Tampa Injury attorney providing a clear picture of failure on someone else’s part to act reasonably when it comes to being careful.

For example, if someone driving a vehicle was negligent for any number of reasons – running a stop light, texting while driving, etc. – they have failed to act with the care needed to be driving the vehicle, and your attorney can work to prove that an injury in a car accident was a result of that negligence.

How Can Fernandez and Hernandez Help Me?

Dedicated to protecting the people, not the powerful, Fernandez and Hernandez established itself as a leading personal injury law firm. Our Tampa injury lawyers play a vital role in the firm’s success, recovering millions on behalf of their clients.

We put people over profits.

Our Tampa injury lawyers work on a contingency-fee basis, meaning we only get paid if you collect, with the fee being a percentage of what we collect for our client’s in the settlement. Until then, you don’t have to deal with costly hourly fees. Remember, we get paid if you get paid, when you get paid and the more you make, the more we make.

Hiring the Right Lawyer for the Right Case

If you do not have an experienced lawyer who is skilled in the area of law in which your case falls, you are putting your future at risk. While many lawyers will try to make you believe that they can handle any auto accident or mislead you into believing that all personal injury cases are the same – and therefore that they can handle any personal injury claim type – the truth is, each area of personal injury law is distinct and should be thoroughly understood by your Tampa injury attorney. For example, the laws surrounding premises liability would not apply to a car accident claim, just as the theory of strict liability would rarely apply to a car accident case. Knowing legal nuances, statutes, and relevant case precedent can make or break a claim. Hiring an attorney that concentrates in auto accidents. Be weary of the Tampa lawyer who claims to handle six or seven areas of the law. As they say, “jack of all traits; master of none.” This is your life or liberty, why risk it with an inexperienced attorney? Be sure to hire an experienced attorney.

More than just knowing the laws pertinent to your case, however, an attorney with specialized skill set will likely also have a experience working with other specialists and experts in that field, negotiating with insurance adjusters, and even litigating in court.

Contact Us for Your Free Consultation

Only an experienced attorney will be able to evaluate your situation and determine whether you have grounds for a lawsuit. To find out whether you can take legal action, contact us today by completing our free case evaluation form.

If you’ve been in an accident and want a free consultation with a highly rated attorney, contact us.

Tampa Attorney Martin J. Hernandez

Attorney Martin J. Hernandez of Fernandez & Hernandez, LLC in Tampa provides legal representation for families in auto accident injury and wrongful death cases. Our Tampa personal injury attorneys welcome the opportunity to interview with you and your loved ones. We invite you to review our recent results from settlements to trial verdicts. Our qualifications and background are available to you as well. Our Tampa Attorneys Martin Hernandez and Daniel Fernandez are bilingual as well. Just call us at 813-229-5353 for your free consultation.

If you have been involved in an Auto Accident in the Tampa Bay area, call Tampa personal injury lawyer Martin J. Hernandez of Fernandez & Hernandez for a free consultation now. We recommend also reading his reviews on Google Reviews, Avvo and Yelp.

As a responsible driver, you must never leave the scene of an accident. Not only is it essential that you provide any necessary help immediately following an accident, but leaving an accident scene can result in having your driving privileges revoked, your license suspended or being charged with a criminal charge.

Take a moment to assess the situation, and do not panic. Be aware of the traffic situation, and any other potential dangers, such as fire.

After the auto accident, immediately take pictures! This is the best evidence later on as to car positions and traffic and weather conditions. You should next document the accident with photo; video or even sketch it out. Make sure to document your car, the other cars and the road/intersection.

You should stay as close to the accident as safely possible, without obstructing traffic. You should do your best to provide immediate assistance to other motorists, passengers or pedestrians that may have been injured in the accident. Take extra care when attempting to move an injured person; if possible, wait for an ambulance to arrive. Notify 911 to report any injuries and call for medical assistance. If the accident did not result in any injuries, inform the local Florida police.

If you have been injured in a car accident, it is important to stay calm. If possible, ensure that you are out of danger and not blocking any oncoming traffic. Call or wait for help, and do not attempt to move if you are unable to do so.

Once you have done this you need to move your cars out of the roadway if possible it’s the law. While wait for the police to arrive. You will need to have the following: Driver’s license, registration card, and insurance. You will need to exchange with the other driver involved in the accident:

1 Name, address and contact information

Driver’s License number

License plate number and Vehicle involved.

Auto Insurance information.

A law enforcement officer will complete a written report if the crash involves a charge of DUI or results in death, injury, or property damage to the extent a vehicle must be towed.

If the crash results in vehicle or property damage and does not require a law enforcement report, you must make a written report of the crash to DHSMV within 10 days. This can be done at: www.flhsmv.gov

If you are in a crash with an unattended vehicle or other property, you must make every attempt to locate the owner and notify law enforcement. If you can’t locate the property owner, you must leave a note including your name, contact information, and license plate (registration) number.

You should seek out medical services for any injuries that you have sustained in the accident. There is a limited amount of time to claim for an injury caused in a car accident. Some car accident injuries may resolve within a matter of days without any medical treatment at all. More serious injuries might become permanent and result in some level of physical disability. What type of injury you sustained depends on what type of doctor you should go to.

The type and severity of injuries suffered by drivers and passengers involved in a car accident depend on factors that include:

Was it a low-speed collision of a high speed crash?

Was the person wearing a seat belt?

Did the car have air bags?

Did the car get hit form he from, rear or side?

Was the occupant facing straight ahead in the seat or was the person head or body turned in a certain direction.

You should also seek the services of a Tampa Injury Attorney to assist you. The processed of working your way thought your insurance can be confusing and highly frustrating. Not knowing how to navigate your insurance policy, talking to adjusters who do not have your best interest in hand, determining which doctors will assist you, and how to obtain the true value of your injuries are just some of things that can exasperate people injured in a car accident. To make it worse, someone else put you in this situation.

When searching for a personal injury attorney, it is important that you do your research. You can learn a lot about a lawyer though online reviews and personal recommendations. You may want to interview a potential personal injury attorney to find the one that will fight for your rights. Consider asking the Tampa Injury Lawyer questions about:

Some other helpful information

Reporting a Car Accident in Tampa, Florida

If you’re a driver involved in a car accident in Florida, and the crash resulted in injury or death, and/or vehicle damage or damage to any other property in an apparent amount of at least $500, you must report the accident to the local police department, if the accident occurred within a municipality. If the accident did not occur within a municipality, you must report the accident to the office of the county sheriff or to the nearest office or station of the Florida Highway Patrol. These rules can be found at Florida Statutes § 316.065.

Tampa Attorney Martin J. Hernandez

Attorney Martin J. Hernandez of Fernandez & Hernandez, LLC in Tampa provides legal representation for families in auto accident injury and wrongful death cases. Our Tampa personal injury attorneys welcome the opportunity to interview with you and your loved ones. We invite you to review our recent results from settlements to trial verdicts. Our qualifications and background are available to you as well. Our Tampa Attorneys Martin Hernandez and Daniel Fernandez are bilingual as well. Just call us at 813-229-5353 for your free consultation.

If you have been involved in an Auto Accident in the Tampa Bay area, call Tampa personal injury lawyer Martin J. Hernandez of Fernandez & Hernandez for a free consultation now. We recommend also reading his reviews on Google Reviews, Avvo and Yelp.

What does it take to be an aggressive auto accident attorney in Tampa?

By: Tampa Accident Lawyer, Martin Hernandez

To us, an aggressive auto accident attorney does not just stop with the insurance companies, but an aggressive lawyer goes above and beyond and leaves no stone unturned. We look out for our clients’ best interests and not the insurance companies interests of putting profits over people.

What does this mean?

In 2011, a drunk driver ran a red light, struck a mini-van and killed a 5 year old little girl. Our firm was retained shortly thereafter and quickly resolved the case for the policy limits. However, because we are aggressive and we care about our clients, we hired a private investigator and found out he was drinking with his employer at a bar and that his manager purchased the alcoholic beverages that night. We immediately disclosed this to law enforcement and they obtained the receipts which disclosed how much alcohol was consumed. We then showed up to the bond hearing of the drunk drivers where it was disclosed that the purpose of them meeting up at the bar was to disclose business. We, therefore, sued the business, a multi-million dollar company, for getting an employee drunk and then allowing the employee to drive home and kill our client. The company eventually settled for a undisclosed sum. That’s aggressive and tenacious. That’s leaving no stone unturned and putting people over profits.

We never stopped fighting for our client. We never relented. We never loosened our grip. That’s being tenacious.

How did this happen?

Using a team approach, the partners at Fernandez and Hernandez, Daniel Fernandez and Martin Hernandez, review every document, interview all of the witnesses, potential witnesses, hire the best investigators that lawyers use, and go above and beyond what most lawyers do for their clients. This is how we established a reputation of being aggressive and skilled auto accident lawyers, litigators and negotiators. We have a proven record of successfully resolving even the most difficult, complex cases.

How do we do this?

Martin Hernandez personally interviews each client in an initial consultation before taking a case. From that day forward, each client receives the highest caliber representation grounded in respect and compassion. Strategies are carefully explained, phone calls always returned, and personal attention given. By building a trusting, personal relationship with each client, the firm’s lawyers make each case a powerful statement of their own commitment.

You deserve to be represented by personal injury attorneys who present your case skillfully, aggressively, and professionally. Injury lawyers who know not to quit.

Tampa Attorney Martin J. Hernandez

Attorney Martin J. Hernandez of Fernandez & Hernandez, LLC in Tampa provides legal representation for families in auto accident injury and wrongful death cases. Our Tampa personal injury attorneys welcome the opportunity to interview with you and your loved ones. We invite you to review our recent results from settlements to trial verdicts. Our qualifications and background are available to you as well. Our Tampa Attorneys Martin Hernandez and Daniel Fernandez are bilingual as well. Just call us at 813-229-5353 for your free consultation.

If you have been involved in an Auto Accident in the Tampa Bay area, call Tampa personal injury lawyer Martin J. Hernandez of Fernandez & Hernandez for a free consultation now. We recommend also reading his reviews on Google Reviews, Avvo and Yelp.

Why Should I Hire an Experienced Tampa Truck Accident Attorney?

An experienced Tampa Truck Accident Lawyer understands that approximately 70% of victims from large-truck accidents are occupants in passenger vehicles and approximately 20% are truck occupants. An experienced Tampa Truck Accident Attorney understands the nuances and intricacies of pursuing this claim. If you were a victim in a truck accident, talk to an experienced personal injury lawyer to learn about your legal rights and find the best course of action in your case.

When it comes to crashes involving trucks, the people most at risk are often those in smaller vehicles such as passenger cars. The much smaller size and weight of cars compared to large trucks increases the likelihood of severe injury or death when an accident does occur.

The massive size and weight of many trucks increase the chance that accidents and collisions will be deadly. In 2016, there were 4,317 deaths (fatalities) in crashes involving large trucks according to NHTSA. Accidents involving large trucks are more likely to result in fatalities than car accidents. Moreover, there were more than 116,000 injuries in crashes involving large trucks.

Why Should I Contact a Tampa Truck Accident Lawyer?

In the event of a crash, it’s important to stay calm. Find someplace safe and call authorities as soon as possible. It is important to you seek medical attention. Some injuries are internal and can show symptoms later. Some of these injuries may not manifest immediately. Certain injuries may take months or years before being diagnosed. Even when injuries do not lead to immediate death or disability, they can still cause lifelong health problems and shorten an otherwise healthy individual’s life expectancy. The costs of both immediate and long-term care can skyrocket, especially if the injured person is unable to work as a result of the accident.

Take pictures of the accident, exchange information with the drivers of the other vehicles, and contact your insurance company. Do not allow anyone to coerce you into admitting fault. Do not feel bad that the at-fault truck driver may or may not lose their job. Remain calm and find someplace to be by yourself while you wait for law enforcement to arrive without speaking to the other person. Trucking accidents can often lead to legal issues.

If you have been involved in a crash, you may want to talk to a Tampa truck accident attorney who can inform you of your legal rights. These may include seeking compensated related to:

Personal injury

Wrongful death

Property damage

Medical bills

Hiring a truck accident lawyer with extensive experience in tractor-trailer accident litigation is important to ensuring that you receive the appropriate compensation. If you or a loved one are involved in a collision with a large truck, it is a good idea to seek the advice of a truck accident lawyer who can help you understand your rights and explain the injury laws. Even if you are not sure that the truck driver is at fault, your lawyer will be able to help you understand the responsibilities of truckers and trucking companies.

Why Fernandez & Hernandez?

At Fernandez & Hernandez, the truck accident attorneys are familiar with laws governing truck accident crashes – which differ significantly from those pertaining to ordinary accidents – and have extensive experience dealing with insurance companies. We have access to the top experts, including accident reconstructionist and medical experts. By working with these individuals, our attorneys have established a successful track record of results in recovering compensation for injured individuals.

In many truck accident cases, lawsuits are filed against the truck driver’s employer – the trucking company – rather than the driver as an individual, since it is ultimately the company’s responsibility to ensure that its drivers and vehicles are operating safely.

Tampa Attorney Martin J. Hernandez

Attorney Martin J. Hernandez of Fernandez & Hernandez, LLC in Tampa provides legal representation for families in auto accident injury and wrongful death cases. Our Tampa personal injury attorneys welcome the opportunity to interview with you and your loved ones. We invite you to review our recent results from settlements to trial verdicts. Our qualifications and background are available to you as well. Our Tampa Attorneys Martin Hernandez and Daniel Fernandez are bilingual as well. Just call us at 813-229-5353 for your free consultation.

If you have been involved in an Auto Accident in the Tampa Bay area, call Tampa personal injury lawyer Martin J. Hernandez of Fernandez & Hernandez for a free consultation now. We recommend also reading his reviews on Google Reviews, Avvo and Yelp.

Posts by Categories

Posts by Categories

Disclaimer

The material provided in this web site is intended to be used as general information and not as legal advice. You should schedule an appointment with an attorney for professional advice regarding your particular case. You should avoid sending any sensitive, confidential or damaging information via e-mail since mail on the Internet is not secure.